Need Suggestions on a Week Trip, Southeastern US

[Genkenx2]

Hey guys,

I've been trying to get a cross country trip going for the past 2 years now, but unfortunately with work and school, I haven't had the ability to get the 3 weeks or so off that I'd want to do such a trip.

As such, I am probably going to have a week off, as I'm going to take it off from work. I'm looking to do an impromptu trip starting this weekend.

What I wanted to do is get as much mountain as possible near Chicago. So I'm looking at the Smokey/Appalachian stuff.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on a good ride from Chicago, out there, and back. I would want to get as much mountain and turny roads as possible, and a lot of Forrest Preserve. Of course if there's other interesting things that would be great. I would plan on camping most nights.

Again, this would be a week trip, so please give me some suggestions asap!

Thanks.

[The CyberPoet]

The goal of most Eastern-half of the USA riders is a place called the "Dragon" and the surrounding areas (probably the best riding in that part of the country), but there are also good roads in virtually every area of the Smokeys and Appalachians.

Suggest you start here:

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/states/il.html

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[meanstrk]

I would recommend the Gap just for a photo op and then get the hell out of there. A great ride would be the Blue Ridge Parkway from Cherokee all the way to Skyline Drive though. My wife and I will probably do that soon with the new bike...

[Kreylyn]

Cherahola skyway Hwy 165/143
Deals Gap (The dragon) hwy 129...
Hellbender .. hwy 28.
Hwys 64 and 74 in western NC.
Blue Ridge Parkway (drop down 151 and back up... same for south 80... and back up... nice curves there.)
215 down to 178, across 11, up 276 into the Pisgah National forest back to the parkway.

If that isn't enough, start working your way north through the mtns... up the parkway into western virgina...

Some parks....

Great Smokey MTN national park
Pisgah National Park
Shenenandoah National Park

Some sites in no paticular order....

Ceasers head state park
Biltmore House
WNC Nature center
Sliding Rock
Bridal Veil Falls
Mt. Mitchell
Chimney Rock
Grandfather Mtn
Blowing Rock
Linville Caverns
Natural Bridge (and Foam Hendge)
Cherokee Reservation
Clingman's Dome
Linn Cove Viaduct (part of the Blue Ridge Parkway)
Skyline Caverns
Luray Caverns


Hope that helps some...

Krey